Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-12
VISIT TO COUNT ToLSroI.
The Famous Russian Romancist Rest
Himself Mt Manual Labor.


Himself Mt Manual Labor.
NJ. Danlefski. a Russian author, has
Just published an interesting account OF
visit he recently paid to Count Tolstoi on
his little estate Of Jassnala Poliana. The
writer is happy to be able to deny the ru-
mors circulated abroad concerning the
mental condition of the famous Russian
romancist. Count TolstOi has not gone
out of his mind. nor has he given up lit
erature, while rs for the report that he
meditated quitting his home and his fam
lily and becoming kind Of Salvation army
apostle. all that is pure imagination. For
the past twenty-five years the count has
lived on his estate almost retired from the
world, but surrounded by his children.
At times, 10 rcpose his mind, he indulges,
like another great man Of the epoch, in
telling trees, saving wood, and othGf
manual exercises; in the winter he takss
to bookmaking by way of relaxation, but
at the same time he continues to write,
and is in full possession of his faculties,
pursuing on the one hand his study Of
theology, and. on the other, endowinG
Russia with a popular literature for the
use Of all.
Thirty years ago." said he, "when my
contemporaries and myself began writing,
out Of the 10000, 900 of inhabitants in
Russia not 10,G00 could read or write, but
now that the schools have multiplied both
in towns and villages those thousands have
become millions, and these millions CT
fellow countrymen are there before US
with mouths open like starving birds de-
manding intellectual nourishment worthy
OF themselves and US. All, yes. the simple,
honest Russian people are well deserving
OF our attention" Hence no doubt those
popular tales and dramas which some per-
sons have been astonished to see appear
under the name Of Tolstoi. However, he
continues none the less TO take deep
interest in the intellectual movement OF
Europe, and renounces none of the doc
trines Of his great works. The table in
his study is covered with English, Ger
man and French reviews, while on the
shelves Of his bookcase may be seen among
others the works Of Shakespeare, Goethe,
Noltaire, Spinoza, Rousseau and Emerson.
During his conversation with his visitor
Tolstoi dwcIt plowingly on the labors Of
the field. An lie exclaimed, ''what q
a joy ii is, when the head is tired with
work, to be able to repose ones self by q
simple physical exercise! Every day, &C.
CDTtIn 10 tbt Se'tstH- 4 W out iuo"ihS,
digging or blowing. Oh, the plow! You
little dream what a pleasure it is, and
what good it does to the heartl How joy
fully the blood flows through the veins!
-l'he haalTSrdpies clear and the feet %
light that You scarcely feel them And
what an ,,qppeGse1 one gets, and how
-Soundly one sleeps afterward"' The count
went ON to explain that, after all, nature
was the only true and real inspirer of art.
"When l read our Russian authors, or
foreign writers instinctively distinguish
those who have worked after nature and
those who have not. There are many Of
the most celebrated authors Of the day
whose works cannot read on this ac-
count; try al l can, but l can't get
through even the first page" NJ. Dani-
lefski believes that Count Tolstoi will yet
produce works worthy to be placed on the
side Of his Peace and War" and Gamma
Kareninc. Pail Mall Gazette.